Preparations for by-polls to 13 municipal wards have begun with the Delhi State Election Commission appointing observers for the elections. The by-polls are likely to be held in May.
The wards, seven of which are in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, four in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and two in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation, were vacated by councillors who tried their luck in the 2013 and 2015 Delhi Assembly elections.
Hearing a PIL, the Delhi High Court had in January ordered the State Election Commission to hold the by-elections in three months. The commission, which has been given till the end of May to complete the elections, has appointed election observers, State Election Commissioner Rakesh Mehta said.
Mr. Mehta held a meeting with returning officers and assistant returning officers on Wednesday to get the preparations going. The voter’s list for each ward is being prepared, and polling stations are to be identified soon. Mr. Mehta added that the polls will most likely be held in the first or second week of May. The election notification will be issued after the ongoing session of the Delhi Assembly and elections to the post of Mayor in the three municipal corporations.
Full elections to the three corporations are scheduled for next year. The commission had started the work of delimitation of wards, but preparations for the by-polls have delayed the process.
These by-polls will mark the debut of the Aam Aadmi Party in a municipal election. While the AAP has announced its candidates for the 13 wards, the BJP and the Congress — the ruling and opposition parties in the corporations respectively — are yet to name their candidates.
The election notification will be issued after the ongoing session of the Delhi Assembly
